Ornamental tray and the like



2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

G. H. WEINRICH.

ORNAMENTAL TRAY AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24. |920.

Patented Nov. 8, 1921. i

G. H. WEINRICH.

ORNAMENTAL TRAY AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, 1920.

1,396,484, Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ZZ Me/Hbr' @la @Iffz' /Y/a 5 v PATENT OFFICE.

GLADYS H. WEINBICH;

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

OBNAMENTAL TRAY AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. -8, 1921.

Application led February 24, 1920. Serial No. 360,573.

T all whom-it 'may concern Be it known that I, Gram-rs H. VEINRICH, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Ornamental Trays and the like, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention has to do with improvements in trays of that typein which a scene or picture is depicted through the glass plate or coverof the tray. The features of the invention are particularly well adaptedfor use in connection with artistically designed trays, but it willpresently appear that they are not limited to use in connection withpictures and other artistic articles. Nevertheless, for purposes ofconvenience in illustration and description, I have shown the featuresof the invention as embodied within the tray.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a construction andprocess for performing the same such as to insure the production of abackground of sky or the like of unusually beautiful and realisticappearance, and in this connection particularly to make provision forthe establishment of realistic cloud effects or the like.

Another feature of the invention has to do with a construction and aprocess for practising the same whereby it is possible to secure theaforementioned cloud effects in color, and to cause the colors to shadeor tone off in very natural and beautiful manner.

Other objects and uses of the invention will appear from a detaileddescription of the same, which consists in the features of constructionand combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure l shows a face view of a tray embodying the features of thepresent invention, said tray being provided with a picture or adornmentembodying a sky effect according to the features of the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 shows a vertical cross section corresponding to Fig. l; and

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show in succession fragmentary face views of threeconsecutive or successive developments of asmall'section of sky, builtup according to the present invention.

I will state in the first place that simply for purposes of conveniencethe tray is shown as provided with a frame 6 and a glass face 7, behindwhich is built up and located the picture or adornment according to thepresent invention. The illustration includes a number of butterfiies andgrowing plants of different kinds standing against a common backgroundor sky effect 8. Manifestly, the decoration or adornment of the tray maytake the form 0f any selected arrangement of butterflies, bees, birds,or other winged creatures, as wellas trees, bushes, shrubs, flowers, andother growing plants.

It will be observed, however, that the butterflies or other creaturesand many of the growing plants stand out against the common backgroundor sky effect 8 so that the resulting effect and its beauty andnaturalness depend very largely upon the manner and process by whichsaid sky effect is built up. I will now describe the same in detail:

On a suitable card or backing 9, I first place a layer or cushion ofcotton or other material of such thickness as to give the desiredcushioning effect, so that the various creatures and plants, when setonto the same, may embed or impress themselves into said cushion whenthe glass plate 7 is finally put into place. Ordinarily, a cushion offrom one-eighth to one-fourth inch in thickness, or even thicker, willbe found suitable for this purpose, and the cushion itself will be builtup or made from plain white cotton. Vithout further decoration oradornment, it will be evident that the background would be absolutelyplain and lifeless and unattractive. In order to secure a realistic andartistic background or sky effect, I have recourse to the followingprocedure:

If the sky tones are to be blues and reds, corresponding. for example,to a sunset, with cloud effects scattered over the sky, I first preparea. bundle or ba-tch of cotton dyed a. suitable tone of blue, and anotherbundle or batch dyed a suitable tone of red or pink. Ordinarily thecolors used for this purpose need not be very deep, and it is usuallybest to make use of relatively soft tonos. Having prepared the batchesof colored cotton as above explained, I next take a small wad or portionof the blue, for example, and, drawing the same out into very thin andelongated shreds, I lay such shreds successively on the cottonbackground at the desired points, taking care to lay the shreds on inthe first place at those points where it is desired to have the lightesttones. In

*point largely upon the number of layers lshreds of thetinted material.

like manner I may continue the treatment of the background by the use ofthe red cotton, taking care to shade the colors off' into each other atthe points where they join or come together, and even in some casesoverlapping the two colors, so that a tone effect is secured which isthe resultant of both. I then proceed with the operation by subsequentlylaying on additional shreds of the twocolors, taking lcare each time toydraw the cotton outinto very thin and relatively transparent portions,and taking care to lay down the additional shreds at those points wherethe tone is to be deepened or emphasized.

By the use of relatively thin shreds of the colored or tinted cotton orother fibrous material itis possible to produce a resulting backgroundin which the tone or shade at any` point is more .or less the resultantof the different layers or shreds which have been successively laid intoplace, the depth lof the tone being increased up to any desiredpoint,`and the shading or varying of the tones from one point to anotherbeing very `delicately secured. By this means the observen looking atthe completed background, is enabled to look through the more or lesstransparent layersof shreds, so that hesees a resulting effect dependingat each or shreds `which have been successively laid into place. In thisway a very beautiful and softly graduated tone effect may be produced.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, I have shown, simply by way ofillustration, the manner in which the tone at a given spot `on thebackground may be successively deepened by adding on successive layersor AfterA the background has been built up in the manner just aboveexplained, the various butterflies or other creatures may be set intoplace, and the plants or flowers may be completed; and finally, theglass cover 7 may be set overthe entire illustration, compressing thesame downwith sufficient firmness at all points to more or less embedthe creatures and flowers or plants in the relatively soft background.This arrangement is emphasized, for example, at the point 11 in Fig. Q,wherein it will be observed that one 'of the plants is depressed intothe background a distance depending more or less upon its thickness.`

While I have herein mentioned the use of cotton as the material used inbuilding up the background, and have also mentioned certain colors ordyes, still it will be understood that I do: not limit myself either tothe use of cotton or to said colors, since manifestly other materialsand colors may be used to great advantage in some cases. Neverthelesaihave found by experience that cotton is a very satisfactory material forthis purpose.

I claim: Y .Y

l. The method of producing a background sky effect for ornamental traysand the like, which consists in first establishing a cushion backing ofsubstantially white fibrous material, preparing two separate batches offibrous material one of which is tinted a substantiallyuniform tone ofblue throughout its mass, and the other of which is tinted asubstantially uniform tone of pink or red throughout its mass,thereafter building up the desired color scheme and arrangement lon thewhite background by successive ap-V plications of finely dividedportions of tinted fibers from the two batches, applying such materialin finely separated portions andby,

successive applications at different points on the background, tothereby build up Vat each point on the background a color tone andy'shade which is the resultant of the several lapplications 'of materialfrom the vtwo batches at such point, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth. i

2. The method of producing a background sky effect for ornamental traysand the like, which consists in first establishing a backing` ofsubstantially white material, preparing two separate batches vof fibrousmaterial one of which is tinted a substantially uniform tone of onecolorthroughout its mass, and the other of which is tinted asubstantially uniform tone of another color throughout its mass,thereafter building up the desired color scheme and arrangement Y on thewhite background by successive applications of finely divided portionsofl tinted fibers from the'two. batches, apply-g ing such material infinely separated porq tions and by 'successive applications at differentpoints on the background, to thereby build up at each point on thebackground a color tone and shade which is the resultant of the severalapplications of material from the two batches at such point,substantiallyy as and for the purpose set forth.

GLADYS HQ wEINRIcH.

